How to Clean and Maintain Vertical Blinds?

Answer 1

Blinds are often the easiest and most attractive way to block out sunlight in a room, create privacy in a neighborhood or urban area, reduce energy use and therefore bills each month. For those who want a more unique and contemporary look than the traditional horizontal blinds, vertical blinds are often the ideal choice. Even the nicest and most expensive vertical blinds need regular cleaning and maintenance, however. By taking care of your vertical blinds, you can ensure that they have a long life and will not need to be replaced on a regular basis. Use this guide to learn how to care for your own vertical blinds.

Remove Dust and Dirt

The first step in cleaning and maintaining your vertical blinds is to vacuum them with a soft brush attachment on a regular basis. Ideally, this is a chore that should be done roughly once a week. Not only does this remove the existing dust on the blinds, but it also prevents a heavy buildup that can create stains or bigger accumulations of dirt. Vacuum each blind slat while it is facing one direction, starting at the top and working your way down. Then, adjust the slats so they are all facing the other way and repeat the process on the other side.

Cleaning Fabric, Vinyl or Wood

While vacuuming should be done for vertical blinds no matter what the material, beyond that you should adjust your cleaning technique to fit the type of blinds. Fabric blinds can be cleaned best with a wet sponge to dab at any stains, but don't scrub or the material may wear thin over time. Wood or vinyl blinds can be treated in the same way and wiped down with a sponge dipped in a solution of warm water and dish detergent. Softly rub each slat to make sure it is clean and then dry with a soft rag. If the wooden blinds have a raised grain, avoid using a rag to dry the blinds and just let them air dry instead. Otherwise, the rag will tear on the grain and create unattractive white spots.